Multicopy writer



, mv ENTOR {ERNEST \Mms E MAUVAES MULTICOPY WRITER Filed May 6. 1.922

w H Um 3 li atented July Bl, 11923..

UNHTE TATES CORPORATION, LTD, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OFWASH- INGTON.

MULTICOPY WRITER.

Application filed may 6, 1922. Serial No. 558,958.

same time the original is produced, and

without the use of carbon paper; and the objects of my invention are, toprovide a device, easily attachable to the carriage of a standardtypewriter, carrying a semi-inked typewriter ribbon or a plurality ofthem, adapted to be instantly adjusted between sheets of paper locatedin the machine, and

opposite the printingpoint thereof, so that each duplicate is made by atypewriter ribbon; and, to provide effective means for makin erasuresand correcting mistakes in the original typewriting and a duplicatethereof, without off-setting or making necessary the removal of saidsheets from the machine, or the placing of additional sheets of papertherebetween.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective, showing aportion of a typewriter with the device complete, as mounted on thecarriage thereof.

Fig. 2, a cross-section drawn on the line 2-2, of Fig. 6.

Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view, on the line 33, of Fig. 6.

Fig. 4, a cross-section of a ribbon cl1p, enlar ed and enclosing asection of typewriter rib on, drawn on the line 4-4, ofFlg. 5.

Fig. 5, an elevation of one end post of the device, part1 in plan,showing one of the racks extending below the post and outwardly curved,designed to exert tens1on on the ribbon, a section of which 15 attachedthereto by said clip.

Fig. 6, an end elevation of the device, without its supporting bracket,a section of the post and the gear casing being partly broken away, toshow one of the racks and its gear wheel meshing therewith, and includmga lower guide bracket for the racks.

Referring more particularly to the drawings; the end posts 1, connectedby the transverse piece 2 comprise the frame. 3 and 4 denote gear casesattached thereto, and 5 a shaft journaled in the oppositely locatedsupports 6. In the present embodiment of the invention these supportsare shown attached to the carriage of the typewriter by screws, and notonly serve as bearings for said shaft but support the device inoperative posltion on the machine. A lug 7, carrying the screw 8,provides, in connection with one of said supports as shown in Fig. 1,.an adjustment whereby the mechanism can be tilted slightly to therequired position for operation. d

A gear wheel 10, Fig. 3, is fixedly attached to said shaft and isprovided with a handle 11 which projects through a slot 12 in the gearcasing 3. A second gear wheel 13 is fixedly attached to a sleeve 14mounted on the shaft 5, and carries a handle 15 which projects throughand/operates in a semiclrcular slot 16 in the gear wheel 10 and thecomplementary slot 17 in said gear casing. 18 denotes a thirdgear wheel,likewise attached to a sleeve 19 mounted on the sleeve 14, provided witha handle 20 which projects through semi-circular slots 21 and 22 in gearwheels 10 and 13 and through the slot 23 in the gear casing 3. The gearcasing 4, located oppositely of the gear casing 3, encloses three gearwheels each of which is mounted as just described, to the end that arotation of one of the first mentioned gears by its handle will likewiseefi'ect a rotation of a similar gear at the opposite side. The secondset of gears are not equipped with handles, and obviously no slots inthe gears or said second casing are necessary.

'A rack 30 is provided for each gear wheel, adapted to mesh therewithand to slide vertically in a grooved section 31- of the posts 1. In Fig.5 one of said racks is shown as projecting below the 0st in which it ismounted. As it will e noted, the lower terminal of the rack is slightlycurved outwardly. The racks of one series are thus curved, and the racksof the other series are provided with reversely curved terminals, and asthey are all made of material possess- 1n of oppositely located andcomplementary racks when extended below the respective posts in whichthey operate will each exert a tension outwardly and hold taut asemiinked typewriter ribbon designed to be mounted between theirterminals. While a certain amount of resiliency, a pair the tension issufficient to subserve the purpose mentioned, it still permits a freevertical movement of the rack within said grooved portion of the post.Said ribbon, and connecting clips to be hereafter described, aredesigned to be of a length short enough to take up the curvatures of therespective racks, and thereby receive a tension that will keep theribbon taut and operative at all times.

31 denotes a lower guide bracket located adjacent either post and theracks, adapted to assist in maintaining the racks in operative positionwithin the posts. 32 is a slot form in Fig. 4:, preferably of malleablema terial, is rovided at its looped end with a slotdl, adhpted toreceive a typewriter ribbon 4:2. The free'ends of the clip terminate, asindicated, in right angular portions 43, and in its medial section it isprovided with a reentrant portion 44 and an oppositely located recess45, complementary thereto. An end of the ribbon is fastened in the clipas shown in F'i 4, and the sides of the clip clamped an flattenedtogether, thus securel holdin the ribbon. The other end of the ri bon isll kewise provided with a clip. A semi-inked ribbon having a clip ateither end as described is mounted in the lower terminals of a pair ofracks, by insertin a clip in the slot 32 of a rack, as shown in ig. 5,said angular ends holding the clip and attached ribbon againstlongitudinal movement, and the projections 33, between which the clip isplaced, limiting its up and downmovement. The other end of the ribbon ismounted in the opposite and complementary rack in the same way, theresiliency of the racks facilitating the placing of the ribbon, and thecurvatures thereof imparting the required tension to the ribbon, asheretofore described.

Sect-ions of semi-inked ribbons having been thus attached to theterminals of the racks, and the device mounted on the carward to thelimit of its slot 12. This movement set in motion the gear wheel 10 towhich said handle is attached, the shaft 5,

neeaare the rotation of the same in a forward direction will lower theribbon 50, Fig. 1, carried by said racks. The semi-circular slots 12, 17and 23 are each of a length to bring a ribbon to approximately theprinting point when the respective handles are brought forward to theupper limit of the slots. However, shouldother adjustment be necessaryto bring the ribbons, or any of them, in operative position, this can beeifected by tilting the frame slightly up or down, through the screwadjustment 8. For purposes of clear illustration, the ribbon of thetypewriter is not shown in Fig. 1, but the lowered ribbon 50 indicatesits location approximately andis designed to align therewith. The paperfingers of the typewriter are also removed for the same purpose. Inusing the device, said paper fingers are thrown back, as can beconveniently done on many typewriters of standard make. 51 designates apair of ribbons attached to the remainin pair of racks, and indicate inFig. 1 their location when in raised position, and'not in use.

To make, for instance, a single duplicate copy, the ribbons of thedevice should at first occupy their normal raised position, as shown at51. A couple of sheets of paper are then inserted in the typewriteruntil their parallel top edges extend to the front and slightly abovethe platen. Said edges are then spread-by inserting the forefinger ofthe left hand between them, the ribbon 50 being then lowered in theposition shown in Fig. l by bringing the handle 11 forward to the limitof its slot as indicated. The ribbon then occupies a position on thesecond sheet opposite the printing point of the typewriter, practicallyparallel with the ribbon of the typewriter, and will make a duplicatecopy as the original is made. The spacing of the paper as each line iswritten will not eflect the position of the ribbon, it remaining at alltimes in its proper place as described. Should it be desired to make twoor more duplicate copies, additional ribbons are lowered between theseveral sheets in the same manner through actuation of the respectivegears and connections.

An important feature of this device is the facility it afi'ords formaking corrections in typewriting, As is well known, to make erasures, won using carbon paper for duplicate copies, it is necessary to placeseparate sheets of paper between each sheet of carbon to preventofisetting from the carbon, or to remove the work from the machine.Either method is slow and laborious. Under the first, if the operatorforgets to remove the extra sheets trombetween the carbon aeaavepaperthe typewriting is practically ruined. The latter method isunsatisfactory on account of the difficulty in so adjusting the sheetsof paper, when replaced in the typewriter, as to bring the carboninsertions in propelalignment with the balance of the typewriting. Withthis device erasures are made by simply turnin the sheets forward a fewnotches of the p aten ratchet to get the work to be corrected away fromthe ribbons and in a convenient place for erasures adjacent the upperportion of the cylinder. Erasures 0n the original and any duplicate canthen be made easily, the cylinder of the typewriter affording a smoothsurface for such purpose, with nothing intervenin to make a smudge onthe sheets of paper. hen

' insertions are to be made, the paper is turned back to the printingpoint, and as is evident,

said insertions will be in perfect alignment,

the paper feed and the ratchet end of the cylinder maintaining theseveral sheets in their original positions.

In the present embodiment of the invention, mechanism is provided formaking three'duplicate copies. The device is operative with but a singleribbon to make one duplicate copy, and with parts necessary to efiectthis result. As is evident,'by adding similar parts to those alreadyshown, duplicate copies in excess of three can be made at a singlewriting, if so desired. Preferably, ribbons inked on one side only areused'for making said duplicates, to avoid offsetting on the back ofpreceding sheets, however, sections of the usual typewriter ribbon canbe utilized by placing a strip of thin, uninked protecting cloth overthe outer face of each ribbon as assembled in the destructure set forth.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a frame attachable to thecarriage of a typewriter, a pair of oppositely disposed racks mounted inthe frame and slidable vertically therein, a gear wheel adapted to meshwith each rack, a shaft connecting the gear wheels, a second pair ofoppositely disposed racks mounted 111 the frame and slidable verticallytherein, a gear wheel adapted to mesh with each of the second racks, asleeve mounted on the shaft and connecting the second gear wheels, atypewriter ribbon disposed between the lower ends of each pair of saidracks, and means for imparting a rotary movement to said wheels, shaftand sleeve and a vertical movement to said racks, whereby each ribbonmay be lowered to the printing point of the typewriter or raisedtherefrom independently of the other ribbon.

2. In a device of the class described, a-

ERNEST UVAIS.

